Books, Ideas, and Literary Culture for Women in Military Life

Book Review: WE WERE MOTHERS by Katie Sise

Katie Sise has written a beautiful yet chilling novel that focuses on a small town with four women who are connected through family and friendship. Cora O’Connell, a woman who concerns herself with perfection, finds out her husband has allegedly cheated on her with their twin toddler’s babysitter. If that is not enough, the babysitter goes missing and readers are pulled into to a whirlwind of secrets from Cora, the babysitter’s mother, Laurel, Cora’s best friend, Jade and Cora’s mother, Sarah.

The structure of this novel is told from the individual perspectives of Cora, Laurel, Jade and Sarah. This structure does not leave the reader wondering what is occurring in the lives of these women and it allows for the story to stay in constant motion. Each woman will reveal their true desires and their struggles, keeping the reading fully engaged in the story.

Katie Sise focuses on a myriad of themes to include perseverance, the struggles of motherhood, honesty and grief. The biggest struggle these women face is not being open with each other, which will cause some riffs along the way. Sise proves her ability to write an incredible thriller in under 400 pages; perfect for those readers who prefer shorter novels.

Not only will readers appreciate the chilling edge some of these characters possess, they will also relish in the plot twists this novel features in bulk. Sise ensures her readers do not encounter any monotonous details throughout the story.

With relatable characters who are facing realistic issues, readers will find it difficult to put this novel down. Readers may learn a thing or two of what it is like to suffer in silence and the importance of speaking out even if it means exposing their life is far from perfect.

We Were Mothers is perfect reading for those who enjoy a balance of scandal, depth and believable characters.

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About the Author:

Katie Sise is a New York City based author, jewelry designer, and television host.

About the Reviewer: Ashley Mouzzon is a 24-year-old Army Veteran and Army Spouse who recently graduated from Thomas Edison State University with a Bacherlor of Arts Degree in English. Currently Ashley is a graduate student at Drexel University.